A quick question related to Amperex Bugle Boys


(And specifically, 5AR4s.)  I've seem them listed from different countries--Holland and Great Britain.  Is one desirable as compared to the other?  Also, a couple of examples of testing that were listed was "94/95" & "97/98."  From that, can the remaining lifespan of a tube be estimated?  Thanks/Matt

immatthewj

amperex’s ’bugle boys’ was a marketing/sales branding by the amperex company, later bought out by the dutch electronics conglomerate philips, and the underlying tubes could be made in the uk or in holland... both are legit real deal amperex’s - the gz34 rectifiers in the ’60’s and ’70’s were made in blackburn, england and heerleen, netherlands

no you cannot rell the remaining lifespan fom the tested figures... best to look at the condition of the tubes themselves, especially how shiny and new the getter flash is at the top of the tube, and whether there are heat/burn marks elsewhere on the glass envelope

I used 4pcs of 6922 Ampe bugle boys in my pre, and the sound is very very good.

OP, bare in mind that measured test results are only useful when one is aware of the make/model of vacuums tube tester that measured those results if they were tested on a mutual conductance tester, as a Hickock 6000A will produce a different set of test figures for a 100% Tube to those of an AVO 160, you need to know the scale for the valve in question on the tester in question.

Measured test results are generally a very good indicator of the useful life of a tube.

In a simplistic hypothetical scenario if your valve has a scale of 100/100 = NOS

and 60/60 as borderline usable then one can draw some conclusions about a valve that measures 98/96 against a second tube that measures 76/72.

Something more to add on @tsushima1 good comments.

We have to know the initial figures of a tube, when brand new.

Suppose initial readings were 130/130 so 98/96 represents approx 75% of that value, meaning that the tube is closer to end of life and not closer to new.

This is my understanding.

Getter flashes should be either silver or can be darker. What you dont want is translucent. A very good test for strength are life tests. If your tester doesnt have a life button simply lower the filament voltage 1 setting and compare these test results with the data from the normal or correct setting. 

Tsushima is correct with the assertion that gm values from tester to tester are not universal or constant. Each tester can be idiosyncratic and test certain types higher or lower than the norm. To know the life left by testing you would need to know the test results when this tube was new as new tube values of the same type and manufacturer can vary by up to 25% sometimes more.